Gmail & Privacy
If you are an avid reader of this blog, you would have probably noticed that I have opinions on varied topics, which I share with the world on occasion. Strangely enough, it is my entry about Gmail that gets the most hits from first time visitors and creates some controversy.
From the responses, I can guess that most of my readers are probably Gmail users. I can't hardly blame you since I found out that my own mother, computer unsavvy as she is, has a Gmail account, which she claims to check. As she was telling me this, I was torn between encouraging her new-found online freedom and my fears of the dark side. Seriously, you know your world cannot be safe when Gmail is scouring through your loved ones’ emails. Now, call me paranoid but I can think of several unwholesome scenarios that can result. For instance, if my mom writes that she wishes her unmarried daughters to find a match in an email, will the creepy crawly dataminers pick up on that and send her targeted advertisement? If they send her a link to something like Shaadi.com, no doubt all hell will break loose!
Ok, I admit Gmail is not evil (the world cannot be broken up into such a simple dichotomy). My main excuse is that as a true Bengali, I seek out melodrama wherever I can find it. In addition, one of the tenants of Google philosophy is: "You can make money without doing evil" and associating Gmail with Evil was a temptation I could not resist . . .
Anyways, getting back on track, there are many reasons why the Gmail model puts the customer at unnecessary risk(Check out the original entry for details). Several privacy advocates have become concerned that the success of Gmail will encourage other companies to follow suit (it might be too late already). I suspect that all the desi software engineers around here are working extra long hours to create better dataminers that can extract information even more accurately and efficiently and databases that can catalog and retain this information indefinitely. This has already reduced the vastness of information online into small palatable bits (which has no doubt improved the quality of our lives). However, these same tools also make it easier for 'bad' people to get our private information and use it for 'bad' purposes.
Granted I am more worried about my personal financial information being misused rather than emails. However, there are things that can be done to improve information security online. I feel like I'm doing my part by spreading awareness about these issues. Since laws and regulations will take time to catch up to technology, it is up to responsible corporations and vigilant users to fight "evil" and keep our online world safe.
From the responses, I can guess that most of my readers are probably Gmail users. I can't hardly blame you since I found out that my own mother, computer unsavvy as she is, has a Gmail account, which she claims to check. As she was telling me this, I was torn between encouraging her new-found online freedom and my fears of the dark side. Seriously, you know your world cannot be safe when Gmail is scouring through your loved ones’ emails. Now, call me paranoid but I can think of several unwholesome scenarios that can result. For instance, if my mom writes that she wishes her unmarried daughters to find a match in an email, will the creepy crawly dataminers pick up on that and send her targeted advertisement? If they send her a link to something like Shaadi.com, no doubt all hell will break loose!
Ok, I admit Gmail is not evil (the world cannot be broken up into such a simple dichotomy). My main excuse is that as a true Bengali, I seek out melodrama wherever I can find it. In addition, one of the tenants of Google philosophy is: "You can make money without doing evil" and associating Gmail with Evil was a temptation I could not resist . . .
Anyways, getting back on track, there are many reasons why the Gmail model puts the customer at unnecessary risk(Check out the original entry for details). Several privacy advocates have become concerned that the success of Gmail will encourage other companies to follow suit (it might be too late already). I suspect that all the desi software engineers around here are working extra long hours to create better dataminers that can extract information even more accurately and efficiently and databases that can catalog and retain this information indefinitely. This has already reduced the vastness of information online into small palatable bits (which has no doubt improved the quality of our lives). However, these same tools also make it easier for 'bad' people to get our private information and use it for 'bad' purposes.
Granted I am more worried about my personal financial information being misused rather than emails. However, there are things that can be done to improve information security online. I feel like I'm doing my part by spreading awareness about these issues. Since laws and regulations will take time to catch up to technology, it is up to responsible corporations and vigilant users to fight "evil" and keep our online world safe.
5 Comments:
You can use the firefox adblock extension to get rid of the ads.
https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=10
I have a gmail account and rather like it but find that the ad contents frequently annoy me. Whenever describing my graduate school experiences in an email, I always get ads regarding "dealing with jealousy" and "how to improve personal relationships" and every once in a while one for an antidepressant. I do not need gmail diagnosing my mental state and suggesting counselling!
i have a gmail account and until i read your post and dalia's response, i never even noticed the adds. i think its a bit funny... ;)
"as a true Bengali, I seek out melodrama wherever I can find it"
Ha ha ha... true!!
"I suspect that all the desi software engineers around here are working extra long hours to create better dataminers that can extract information even more accurately and efficiently"
Well, thats what my friends at Google do...
"I feel like I'm doing my part by spreading awareness about these issues."
May be someone should also spread the awareness about Shaadi.com to some parents. May be one can start a new project in google to suggest matrimonial services to concerned parents using gmail... or Google matchmaking/dating. I am sure google search technology could be very helpful here. Great idea... thanks :)
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